Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Tips and Techniques on Soccer Passing

Tips and Techniques on Soccer Passing

One of the most important things to know is soccer passing. Everyone likes to see great dribbling skills, long range shots and flying headers but all professionals know that in order to make this all happen, you need toknow how to pass the ball. Most players, when they receive the ball, will think about passing to an open team-mate. Good soccer passing requires good technique and involves making the right decision at the right time.

A player in possession of the ball should have a a range of passing options open to him. He has to assess all options and decide which is the right pass to make. Depending on how fast the defenders close you down, you may have alot of time to decide, but sometimes you have no time at all.

The game is all about getting the ball into advanced positions. If a forward pass is on, that should be the preferred option. However, if a sideways pass or a backwards pass means that you won't lose the ball then these can be valuable too.

Great soccer players have great awareness of what is going on around them, even before they receive the ball. That way they can make decisions quicker giving them the edge.

Timing a pass perfectly is crucial. Even if a pass is executed perfectly, it can go wrong if it is made too soon or too late. Timing is a responsibility shared by both receiver and passer. The receiver must make himself available to receive a pass and the player with the ball must time the pass precisely.

Side Foot Pass

The side foot pass is the most common and easiest pass to perform. It is highly effective and very accurate.

The non-striking foot should be level with the ball. Strike the ball with the inside of your other foot. Adjust weight and direction of pass depending on how far and where your team mate is.

Try to hit the ball through the center and try not to get any lift on the ball. Short passes are suppose to be accurate and along the floor. This is usually quite hard to do when hitting the ball with pace so don't worry about it too much if the bal gets a little bit of air.

Kepping the ball on the deck improves accuracy greatly and is easier for team-mates to control the ball.

A ball travelling through the air takes longer to control then one that is rolling along the ground.

Make sure to hit the ball with the large area at the side of your foot in the intended direction.

Always looks up for support and know where your team-mates are before making a pass.

The head should be steady with eyes on the ball at all times. Always keep your calm and never panic.

The moment you see a team-mate open and wanting the ball, do not hesitate to play him a short, simple pass.

The Lofted Pass

The lofted Pass or long pass is when a player knocks the ball into the air over their opponents heads and to their team-mate. Long passes usually cover greater distances than the side-footed pass. It is ideal for counter attacking, catching the defence off gaurd and switching sides of play.

To perform a long pass, try to strike the ball with the top of your foot with the instep. Strike from the bottom of the ball upwards, this will send the ball flying through the air.

Hit the ball lower and get your foot right under the ball and remember to follow through as this is where you will generate most of the power for the long pass.

Keep in mind that long passes are easier to intercept then a short, sharp passes along ground. But when done correctly, can create a golden opportunity on goal.

Try not to over hit the pass as the ball might just sail out for a throw-in or goal kick. It would be a waste of possession.

Long pass take longer to pull off then short passes so make sure there is enough room for you to get the height. Defenders will most like close you down quickly when they see you attempting this kind of pass so creating room for yourself before making the pass is always a good start.

As always, be calm, confident and watch for runs from team-mates. Keep an eye on the oposing teams defenders as well. If they are not ready to intercept the long pass, it makes it that much easier to complete the pass.

The One Two Pass

The one two pass, also known as the give-and go, is used a lot in modern day soccer games. Its quick, decisive and very effective for beating defenders and creating space for yourself. Like any other skii or technique, it takes practice to master this type of pass. Once you have practiced it, you will be able to use it effectively on the pitch in a real game sutuation.

This pass is very simple to perform. When you are in possession of the ball, and a defender is standing right in front of you, getting ready to tackle you, you have a few choices. You can either try to dribble past him or play a pass. Taking on a defender is a much riskier tactic and a much safer route would be to play a pass. Look up and find a team-mate who is relatively close and play a short simple pass to feet.

Once the ball has left your feet, make a darting run forward into open space. Naturally, the defenders will look at the ball so the focus will not be on you whilst you make the run into open space.

Your team-mate which you passed the ball too, should be able to return you the ball safely with a one touch pass. If the pass is successful, you will most likely have gotten past the defender and created some space for yourself.

The give and go is about team work and understanding each other well. You both have to be thinking on the same wave length for this to work properly and be able to execute it effectively. This takes practice and communication. Talk to each other and don't be afraid to to use your

voice

The Through ball

A through ball is a pass made into space in which a team-mate runs onto the ball.

For this type of pass to work, the player needs to make the run into open space whilst the passer has to be able to execute the pass into space.

Once you get this right you will have no problem in using this technique. This type of pass is used quite a lot in soccer because it is great for breaking past the defensive line to create openings.

A Through pass can be used at any time down the wings, through the centre and on counter attacks. Most teams like to use the through ball on the counter attack as it allows players to break quicker rather then passing to feet.

To execute this pass properly, plant your non kicking foot next to the ball like a pass, look up to see where your team mate is.

Sometimes your team-mate will signal you, telling you exactly where he wants the ball played.

Once you have decided on your pass, with your kicking foot, knock the ball into open space in front of your team-mate. The pass does not have to be played ball too feet.

Using a through pass is great for beating the last line of defence as it allows attackers to run past defenders to create more space for themselves.

You should only use this type of pass when your team-mates have space to run into. It is not really recommended to use in tight areas such as the midfield as this can just give away possession.

Chip Ball

The chip through pass is similar to the through ball but instead of passing the ball along the ground, you chip it over your opponents.

This is harder to do and requires you to be more skilful and have a more of a understanding with your team mates.

To execute a chip ball, plant your non-kicking foot next to the ball.

Look up to spot your team-mates and then, with the instep of your foot, kick the bottom of the ball to elevate it off the ground.

As soon as you chip the ball, your team mate will have to run at the exact same time into space. Timing is important as it could be the difference between being onside or offside..